The Legend of Carmine

As Allaya ran away from the palace with the little Prince into the darkness of night. She could feel the heat radiating from the little Prince's body as if it was burning in the heat. Allaya mentally decided to take the Prince to Owen, who was in his secret inventory. When she reached there, Allaya knocked it with the secret code. This code was taught by Owen to her if she ever faced a situation to visit him in the inventory.

Owen was still working in his inventory when he heard the knock. It was already midnight. He had his doubts and peeped through the door but he could only see a soldier. He had his suspicions but he also knew that he had taught this code to his wife only. And he knew she would never betray him. Mentally, he argued over this again and again but he finally came to a decision and opened the door cautiously. When he opened the door Allaya flung in and frantically started to show that the little Prince was burning in fever.

As Owen hold the baby, he realized that the baby was having a fever. Owen asked, " What happened and why is he burning like this?"

Allaya replied, "Norand's General has captured the palace, and to sneak the little prince safely outside the palace, Princess Carmine fed him a sweet wine to put him to sleep."

Owen shouted in shock," What??? Princess gave him such strong alcohol. No wonder he is burning in the heat. He is still only a few days old. His body has not developed to the level like an adult to get rid of the alcohol. The alcohol did help him to put to deep sleep but his body has not developed to the level to get rid of it. Therefore, it is burning."

So, Owen prepared medicine and fed the baby. Then, he removed the baby cloth and wiped him, and slowly the heat came down. And the baby went into a more relaxed sleep.

Finally, Owen turned to Allaya and asked, "Tell me. what happened in the palace?"

Then, she entailed the whole incident that had happened in the palace and how the Princess had asked her to take care of the prince as his mother.

When Owen was still processing all this on his head. Allaya went to carry the little Prince to take him home. Owen held her shoulder and she looked at him with a questionable eye. As if Owen understood the question he said, " Allaya leave him with me tonight. If the Princess had risked so much for him and if she wants us to look after him. We need to raise him as our own son.

No one should know about this, not even our families. Otherwise, we cannot protect him from his real identity."

After this Allaya pondered for a while and agreed that he was right. But she voiced her concern about what can be done.

There was pin-drop silence in the inventory. As both of them were thinking about it. Then Owen instructed," Allaya go home and send both of our families out of the city stating that the Norand soldiers have captured the palace and they will capture the whole city soon. Tell them to leave the city. And if they ask you why you are not leaving with them. Tell them that I have been kept as one of the hostage in the palace and that you wish to stay behind in the city."

Allaya, who had a worried expression on her face asked," But isn't it more dangerous for us to stay here. Why don't we also leave after them."

Owen replied, "It could be dangerous...But if I remember it correctly when I had gone to treat General Armine she had told me that as long as we surrender to the Norand's soldiers they do not kill their prisoners like the barbaric Ouran's soldiers. So, after we have sent them out of the city after few months, we will send a letter that you are pregnant. Consequently, later we will inform them that you have given birth to a premature son. Finally, we will call them back after half a year. No one will doubt it."

Then Owen turned to the little Prince and put his hand over his head and said," From today you are our son. And I will name you Allen, the son of Allaya and Owen.

That night Allaya left them and conducted her task as per Owen's direction and send all their families as well as all their servants out of the city.

In the inventory, Owen could not help but wonder if it was just a blunder mistake by the Carmine or did the Princess intentionally gave the Prince sweet wine to put him to sleep; instead of using any other herbs. Was it because she had intended him to have a fever so Allaya would bring the Prince to him. So, that they could plan. He wondered but he knew this question could only be answered by the Princess herself if this all was just her plan or a mere coincident.

On the other side: Liya, who had created a decoy for Allaya and the young Prince to escape. She was being chased by soldiers on their horses and hunting dogs. Liya ran as fast as she could while carrying the dead baby. It was pitch dark at night. She had no idea where she was running to. She did not know where she was, as long as her feet were taking her in the darkness of night. The hunting dogs were right on her tail and they guided the soldiers. She was turning back every now and then to see where they were. Suddenly, she stumbled into a stone when she turned to look back and fell over. Liya had no idea that she was at the slope of a hill. When she fell over she went on rolling and rolling down the hill. As she was rolling down she tried to grip the ground to stop rolling down. But every time she was rolling down her body was getting injured with her body being slammed into the ground and stones. So, with every roll, she was getting injured. Finally, she realized and thought, "Alas Princess Carmine I do no think I can fulfill my promise! I do not think I will be able to make out alive from here to the mountain, I do not think I will ever get to marry and have children. Nevertheless, if this is the last thing I can do for you. Then, so shall it be." And she let go of the dead baby. These caused the dead baby's body also to come rolling down the hill and it no longer got the cushioning of Liya's body. After this, she did not even try to stop herself from rolling down the hill. She just closed her eyes shut and said, "This is it." Finally, she ended up all the way at the foot of the hill where she had hit her forehead on the big stone of the stony banked river and died on the spot.

When she hit her head her head had cracked open which had disfigured her face and it was covered in blood. Similarly, the dead body of the baby had also sustained a lot of injuries making it unidentifiable and covered in blood.

When the soldiers got to the foot of the hill and checked the bodies. They could see the woman was holding the Princess's jade. So, they took both of the bodies to report back to Rulean.

As General Rulean and Alor saw those bodies they realized that they belonged to the Princess and the Prince. As the body had Princess's jade on her hand and the baby was adorn in the royal attire. Alor felt really sad about the death of two young royalties. Then, Rulean went to King Ather to relate the news. When Rulean stated how the Princess had run and ended up with her demise by falling from the hill.

King Ather replied," Impossible... Impossible... I know her. She will never run for her life. She is not afraid of death. I know her, she would have fight head-on. You are a liar, General. I do not believe you."

Rulean then ordered to bring both the dead bodies in his chamber. Then Rulean said," Do you still think that I am lying?"

As King Ather came near to the dead bodies. His hands were shaking. In his mind, he wished that these were not his children's bodies. As he removed the white cloth that covered their face. He was horrified to see that the face of the body was disfigured and covered in blood but he could see that she was holding the Princess's jade. Then he moved to the next body. And the child was also disfigured with many wounds and bloodstains on it. But he could see that he was wearing the Prince's clothes.

After seeing the bodies, King Ather just slumped on the ground filled with grief, with his hand on his forehead and yelled," My dear daughter Carmine, I was so wrong and you were right. If I had only listened to you. I would not have lost you two today." As he wailed in despair. Rulean decided to leave the room for the King to mourn. But immediately the king Ather wailed turned into hysteric laughter. He started to laugh like a lunatic and went to the dead bodies and kept shaking them and telling them to wake up and stop playing dead.

Rulean realized that the king was depressed due to the loss of his wife and kingdom. But ultimately death of his children made him lost his mind. So, Rulean ordered the bodies to be taken out and buried with respect.